Big Idea
Background: Founded in 1989 as "GRAFx Studios" by Phil Vischer, Big Idea Entertainment, LLC (officially established as "Big Idea Productions" in 1993) is an American Christian animation production company best known for its computer-animated VeggieTales. In 2003, the company was acquired by Classic Media due to bankruptcy. 1st Logo (1993-1997) Big Idea Productions (1993)Big Idea (1994) Nicknames: "Big Idea Placeholder", "Boring Idea Productions" Logo: Simply the text "Big Idea Productions" on a white background with "presents" under it. Variant: This logo was used as an in-credit logo on Where's God When I'm S-Scared?, but the color was inverted. A similar variant is at the end of God Wants Me to Forgive Them!?!, but this is a closing logo, without "presents" & this version has copyright info. FX/SFX: None. Cheesy Factor: This logo has not much to it, however, this was their first logo, and they didn't get any version of the "VeggieFriends" logo until 1995 Music/Sounds: None or the VeggieTales intro theme. Availability: Seen in the intro on all VeggieTales videos from 1993 to 1997. The first tape to have this was the 1993 VHS of Where's God When I'm S-Scared?, and the last tape was the original VHS of Josh and the Big Wall! from 1997. Scare Factor: None to minimal. 2nd Logo (1995-2002) Big Idea (1995)Big Idea Productions (1993)Big Idea Productions (1997)Big Idea Productions (1995, 2000 Ink-Label Print Version?) Nickname: "The VeggieFriends" Logo: On a white background, we see the VeggieTales characters Larry and Bob (a cucumber and tomato, respectively) in between the phrase "BIG IDEA" in Adobe Fangsong STD font. Larry is turned backwards and Bob is smiling. Then, Larry bumps the "G", causing it to turn into varying sizes. Larry looks at Bob and bumps into him as they face the screen, causing the "A" to move a bit. A copyright stamp appears, or sometimes not at all. Variants: • In some cases, a still shot of the logo is already formed, but no copyright stamp is present. • There is a sub-version of the version above with "P R E S E N T S" underneath. This was only seen on some 1999 copies of Very Silly Songs! • The original version of this logo from 1995-1996, Larry is looking down and there is no animation whatsoever, this variant is reused in all known prints of The Toy that Saved Christmas. This one is also on the back of the cover of all VeggieTales tapes from 1995-1997, and it is on the back of the cover of the 1998-2000 Lyrick Studios & Everland Entertainment VHS copies of Where's God When I'm S-Scared? & Are You My Neighbor? and on the sticker label of all Lyrick Studios releases of VeggieTales tapes (And some Lyrick tapes that have an ink label similar to the ones onthe Word Inc. Veggietales releases from 2000 and later.) ◦There is a rare print version of that version that is presumably found on ink labels on some Lyrick Studios Veggietales releases, likely from around 2000. Any copies that do have it would be very rare, though. ◦There is a rather humorous variant at the end of the original 1995 VHS of Rack, Shack, & Benny with Bob saying "I'd like to get out now!" ◦The Toy That Saved Christmas, the first VeggieTales episode without the intro, has a slightly smaller variant of the 1995 Big Idea Logo. This is the only variant of the original version of the first Big Idea Logo that is still on reprints, because this logo was never plastered, not even by the more common 1997 version of this logo. FX/SFX: The character's animations. The G changing sizes. The A popping up. Music/Sounds: Just a "boing" sound when the "A" pops up, depending on what show or maybe the episode. Cheesy Factor: For the 1995 to 1997 variant, the animation for Bob & Larry look a bit grainy & the way they look seems a bit weird. Availability: Can still be seen on VeggieTales and 3-2-1 Penguins! of the time, but considered rare today. The last production to have this logo was Lord of the Beans and the last show using this is LarryBoy: The Cartoon Adventures. Scare Factor: Depending on the variants... • Normal Variant: None to minimal. Bob and Larry's sudden stare could scare a few, but for those who are used to it, none at all. • Original Variant: Minimal to low. If you were expecting the more common 1997 variant, but got this one, it may startle you, also, the grainy and odd look of Bob and Larry may scare a few, but it's generally harmless. Even though the larger variant was used more commonly, the smaller one is actually more common because it has never been plastered on reprints of The Toy That Saved Christmas, so the scare factor may be raised for those who expect the smaller version, but end up with the larger version. 3rd Logo (1998-2005) Big Idea Productions (1998)Big Idea Productions (1998) Nickname: "The VeggieFriends II" Logo: Like the first logo, we have Bob and Larry, but they are completely straightford. Variant: Sometimes "p r e s e n t s" appears in an arial font. This is used in the VeggieTales logo and as a simple Home Video logo. FX/SFX: None. Music/Sounds: None or the VeggieTales intro theme. Availability: Seen in the intro on all VeggieTales videos from 1998-2006. It can be seen as a simple home video still logo on some tapes. The version without "presents" was seen on Larry-Boy & The Rumor Weed. This is also on the back of the cover of VeggieTales Tapes from 1998 to 2000. Scare Factor: None to minimal. Bob and Larry's sudden stare can be unsettling, but it's a great logo. 4th Logo (1999- ) Big Idea Productions - CLG WikiBigIdea - CLG WikiBig Idea (1999) Nicknames: "The VeggieFriends III", "The New and Improved VeggieFriends" Logo: On a white (or black) background, we see Larry and Bob moving up to their normal position, but the logo is backwards. Bob looks at the logo with Larry. Then, Larry bumps the I, causing it to shake a little and rotate. Bob smiles, then Larry moves out of the way as Bob gets stuck in the D and moves around, but frees himself and bumps into Larry. Larry smiles and both go to their normal pose. Starting in 2007, a byline for the respective company appears below. Bylines: • 2007-2009: "An Entertainment Rights group company" • 2009-2012: "A Classic Media group company" Variants: • When this logo debuted, there was no byline. • On TV, the logo is already formed, with Bob and Larry grinning. • Sometimes a black background is used. • The logo also looked different when it debuted from 1999 to 2001. FX/SFX: TBA Music/Sounds: A new 8 note jingle with sound effects that accompany the animations. Availability: Common. First seen on Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie and The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything as well as newer VeggieTales and 3-2-1 Penguins episodes The early versions in 2000 and 2001 are on King George & The Ducky, Lyle the Kindly Viking, 3-2-1 Penguins: Trouble on Planet Wait-Your-Turn!, and other VeggieTales Videos of the time. However, the logo itself actually debuted as a print logo in 1999, seen on the back of the VHS cover of the Lyrick Studios copy of Madame Bluberry and a preview for Larry-Boy & The Rumor Weed. Scare Factor: None to low for the standard version and none for the TV variant.